The NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at Watkins Glen International ended with both celebration and concern. Connor Zilisch scored his sixth victory of the season, dominating late after a major multi-car crash set up a tense four-lap sprint to the finish. The win tightened his grip on the points lead heading into the playoffs. But the post-race mood shifted quickly when Zilisch fell while exiting his car in Victory Lane, requiring medical attention and transport to a local hospital.
Key Highlights
Connor Zilisch earns sixth win of the 2025 season at Watkins Glen by 2.326 seconds over Sam Mayer
Late-race chaos included multi-car crash involving over a dozen drivers on Lap 74
Shane Van Gisbergen exits early after contact with Zilisch while battling for the lead
Zilisch suffers post-race fall, transported to hospital for further evaluation but was awake and alert
Zilisch leads points standings over Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, Jesse Love, and Austin Hill
Connor Zilisch Seals the Win After Turbulent Afternoon
Connor Zilisch’s day at Watkins Glen was a blend of skill, speed, and survival. Starting from the pole, the JR Motorsports driver stayed among the leaders, with the race’s complexion shifting after Lap 65 contact between Zilisch and teammate Shane Van Gisbergen ended the latter’s race in 31st place. The drama escalated on Lap 74 when Michael McDowell was turned by Austin Hill exiting Turn 5, triggering a chain-reaction crash involving more than a dozen cars.
The incident brought out the red flag, halting the field for cleanup. The restart on Lap 79 saw Zilisch quickly pull away from Sam Mayer, securing victory by 2.326 seconds. Sammy Smith, Hill, and Carson Kvapil completed the top five in a race featuring 17 lead changes among nine drivers and seven cautions for 20 laps.

Victory Lane Turns to Medical Scene
Celebration quickly turned to concern as Zilisch, climbing from his No. 88 Chevrolet, lost his footing in the netting and fell hard to the pavement. Safety crews moved in immediately, placing him on a backboard before loading him into an ambulance. JR Motorsports later relayed the update shared by NASCAR.
“As stated in the media center by NASCAR, Connor Zilisch is awake and alert and being transported to a local hospital for further evaluations.” – JR Motorsports
While no additional details were released, the team’s statement offered reassurance to fans and competitors alike after the tense scene.
Race Results and Points Impact
The Mission 200 at The Glen reshuffled both the finishing order and the season standings. Behind Zilisch and Mayer, Sammy Smith maintained his consistent form for JR Motorsports. Austin Hill’s fourth-place run helped him recover from earlier contact, while Carson Kvapil showed poise to secure fifth. Notably, Christian Eckes earned eighth despite starting deep in the field, while Harrison Burton grabbed 10th for AM Racing.
Fin | Driver | Diff |
1 | Connor Zilisch | — |
2 | Sam Mayer | 2.326 |
3 | Sammy Smith | 3.247 |
4 | Austin Hill | 3.603 |
5 | Carson Kvapil | 3.885 |
6 | Justin Allgaier | 4.068 |
7 | Austin Green | 6.854 |
8 | Christian Eckes | 7.971 |
9 | Brandon Jones | 8.022 |
10 | Harrison Burton | 8.926 |
11 | Kaz Grala | 9.111 |
12 | Brennan Poole | 10.827 |
13 | Dean Thompson | 11.188 |
14 | Jesse Love | 12.799 |
15 | Jeremy Clements | 13.336 |
16 | Jeb Burton | 14.346 |
17 | Daniel Dye | 15.022 |
18 | Taylor Gray | 15.25 |
19 | Stefan Parsons | 17.195 |
20 | Austin J Hill | 17.474 |
21 | Glen Reen | 23.644 |
22 | Parker Retzlaff | 35.743 |
23 | Blaine Perkins | 2 laps |
24 | Nick Sanchez | 7 laps |
25 | Michael McDowell | 9 laps |
26 | William Sawalich | 9 laps |
27 | Josh Bilicki | 9 laps |
28 | Ryan Sieg | 9 laps |
29 | Ryan Ellis | 9 laps |
30 | Kyle Sieg | 9 laps |
31 | Shane Van Gisbergen | 18 laps |
32 | Anthony Alfredo | 19 laps |
33 | Matt DiBenedetto | 30 laps |
34 | Preston Pardus | 30 laps |
35 | Sheldon Creed | 32 laps |
36 | Riley Herbst | 43 laps |
37 | Thomas Annunziata | 58 laps |
38 | Garrett Smithley | 79 laps |
The points standings now show Zilisch seven points ahead of Justin Allgaier, with Mayer 24 points back, Jesse Love trailing by 92, and Hill 133 points adrift. With just a week off before Daytona, the field will have time to regroup before one of the season’s most unpredictable events.

News in Brief: 2025 Mission 200 Full Results
Connor Zilisch won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at Watkins Glen by 2.326 seconds over Sam Mayer after surviving late-race chaos. The event included a massive Lap 74 crash involving over a dozen drivers and earlier contact that ended teammate Shane Van Gisbergen’s day. Post-race, Zilisch fell in Victory Lane and was transported to a hospital, awake and alert. This sixth win extends his points lead over Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, Jesse Love, and Austin Hill.
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